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Curtis Harrington was an American experimental filmmaker, director, producer, and screenwriter. In the
1940s and 1950s, he emerged as a filmmaker when he wrote and directed several experimental avante garde
shorts. He served as the executive assistant to Jerry Wald from 1956 to 1961 and as an associate producer
at 20th Century-Fox. Curtis largely discarded the "experimental" tradition in his feature work which
specialized in low-budget horror pictures.

Collection Scope and Content Summary

The Curtis Harrington papers span the years 1875-2008 (bulk 1945-2006) and encompass 30 linear feet.
There are scripts, correspondence, clippings, reviews, and production material for Harrington?
experimental films from the 1940s through mid-1950s, work he did as Jerry Wald? assistant from 1956 to
1963, and his own films from 1963 to 2002. There is correspondence related to his work in television,
story files comprised of scripts, correspondence with experimental filmmakers, and drafts of an
incomplete autobiography. The subject files include correspondence with Harrington? experimental film
distributor Brandon Films, genealogical and personal material on Harrington? family, interviews, a
journal, notebooks, and drafts of Harrington? oral history conducted here at the Academy. Finally, there
are writings, books on film and filmmaking, periodicals, and three scrapbooks.